


Paper planes are meant to fly

by masterlokisev159



Series: Angst Tony fics 2020 [4]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angry Steve Rogers, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Crying, Divorce, Dog Tags, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotions, Hurt Steve Rogers, Hurt Tony Stark, M/M, Making Up, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), near - Freeform, ross is a dick
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-11
Updated: 2020-08-11
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:27:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25816531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/masterlokisev159/pseuds/masterlokisev159
Summary: Tony and Steve are minutes away from signing the papers. Only minutes before they have to leave the room and sign.It’s been a year. Steve figures they should talk first.It’s a damn good thing he does.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Series: Angst Tony fics 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1785058
Comments: 45
Kudos: 474
Collections: Team Angst





	Paper planes are meant to fly

**Author's Note:**

> For the stevetony games fill: Wedding ring.
> 
> Despite being married, Steve and Tony haven’t spoken since Siberia. Then Tony is hit with divorce papers. This is their first meeting since and there’s a lot to unravel.
> 
> Emotions run high...

One year. One whole year.

Tony hadn’t thought he’d be sat here on this table, in this room. Plain walls and soft black couches. One window and one square table built to seat six.

A lawyer on his left. A lawyer on Steve’s right.

His husband sat opposite him, staring firmly at the table wood with dim eyes that carried no emotions. Nothing. They were carefully blank and didn’t shine like they used to. And yet Steve still somehow looked perfect, even after a year of being on the run.

Tony looked like shit. He knew it, had known it for months. Pepper mentioned it constantly and Rhodey fretted with each visit. He’d lost weight. He felt dizzy a lot. Sometimes he couldn’t eat more than a few bites. 

The compound wasn’t the same. After Siberia, he’d been told to rest by multiple doctors and so, he’d skulked in the compound, wandering aimlessly around rooms that carried distant memories. 

Once, he’d been happy there. Once, Steve had grabbed him by his wrist and pulled him close. Once, they’d made love on the soft bed of Steve’s simple but lively room, after months of dancing around each other.

 _It’s ironic_ , he thought. It was ironic that Steve was sat before him today as they finalised the papers. That they were here on the same day as back then.

The anniversary of the day Steve had stopped Tony from going back to New York. And instead, had told him to stay with him. Little realising it would lead to an almost forever.

Would lead to their marriage. And soon-to-be divorce.  
  


* * *

“Mr. Stark. Captain Rogers. Now that we have reviewed the papers and all decisions have been made, we will assemble the documents for you to sign. To be clear, Captain Rogers has agreed to not claim any assets that were acquired throughout the marriage. All property held by Mr. Stark is to be relinquished fully, with no divide of equities.” The lawyer eyed Steve at that, and only continued when Steve nodded tiredly. “All documents today will be registered and will effectively end the marriage between both parties involved. Once signed, both parties will have no relation identifiable by court. Gentlemen, please wait in the other room while we assemble the forms.” He finally said, standing up swiftly with a pile of sheets in hand. Tony’s lawyer stood up as well and he quickly followed them along with Steve.

The lawyers guided them to a nearby room with a small round table and a few plastic white chairs and waited for them to get seated before turning and closing the door behind them. Then it was just them and the clock on the wall ticking. Nothing else made a sound, not even them. 

Tony wondered if every couple in a divorce had to sit in a room like this. Wasn’t the point to not see the other person?

“Almost seems kind of cruel.” Steve mirrored in a soft tone. “Leaving people in a place like this.”

“Yep.” Tony breathed, glancing at everything other than his soon to be divorced husband. The lack of decor only made it harder to fake interest, but still, Tony had always been a good actor. A great one, in fact.

“You’d think they could afford more. What with how much they’re charging.” Steve said with a slight quirk of his lips. In another lifetime, Tony would’ve smiled back and joked about ditching for hot steamy super-soldier sex. But that was in the past.

“Ha. Definitely. It’s not like they even put effort. I mean look at this table.” Tony huffed, gesturing to the hideous steel table that looked like it’d been taken straight for a high school canteen. At least Peter’s school was better. 

“And the chairs. Why white?” Steve shook his head sadly, squeezing his fingers around the arm and watching the plastic bend under.

“Yeah. It feels like a prison. Might as well be the Raft. Ross, you there?” He snickered and tried not to let his eyes shift up when Steve did the same.

“Nope. Just busy making your life hell.”

“Definitely.”

They fell into a thick silence again. For a moment, Tony could just picture it. The grass under his shoes, the sound of his Audi turning the corner. The phone in the car seat starting to ring just as he’d pulled out-

“I was thinking about things.” Steve said, oblivious to his thoughts. “About what’s been going on.”

“Yeah, well. Join the club.”

 _“_ Do you know what day it is?” Steve said softly, keeping his eyes fixed on the table between them. If he was affected by what was about to come, he didn’t give any hint of it whatsoever. 

_“I was thinking...”_

_“Yhmm?”_

_“Nat says we should stop gazing into each other’s eyes.”_

_“Oh really? Miss. Rushman would say that.”_

_“I think you need to come back.”_

_“What?”_

Tony leaned back and rolled his eyes, folding his arms as he did. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Far as I’m concerned, there isn’t anything special here. And I don’t see that changing any time soon.”

With a cool expression, Steve folded his arms and mirrored Tony’s position. For a second he just stared at Tony silently. Then his lips grew into an almost gleeful smile.

“You know.”

_Tony had to be careful. “I just narrowly missed a biker thanks to you. Do you realise how close I was to him!? Shame on you!”_

_“Is that a yes?”_

“Careful Cap.” He smiled grimly. “You might make me think you care.”

“I do care. You know I do.” Steve said sharply, losing just a hair of that calm composure for a moment. “I’ve always cared when it’s comes to you.”

“Sure.” Tony closed his eyes and smiled. “The papers said it all. Thanks for the gift by the way. _Really_ loved that.”

“Tony...I’m so sorry.”

_Tony couldn’t look up. He didn’t dare look up._

_“Tony? Say something, c’mon-“_

_“It’s over.” He said, feeling his voice crack. “He’s ending it.”_

_The papers crinkled in his hand._

_“What do you mean?”_

_“He’s gone.” Tony said and squeezed his eyes tight as the tears flowed._

_“I was right. It wasn’t worth it._ ”

“Tony...” At Steve’s plea, he opened his eyes and faced him. “It’s in the past.”

It was Tony’s turn to scoff. “Now that’s just insulting.”

“No, I mean-“ Steve shook his head and sucked in a sharp breath. “I didn’t want this, you have to know that.”

“Then what did you want, Steve? For me to find out on my own? For me to one day walk in and see you playing best pals with my parents murderer after some criminal with a vendetta told me!? Was that your plan? Were you _ever_ gonna tell me!?”

“Tony-“

“I remember. Do you realise that? I remember standing there at my parents funeral and thinking over and over about my father’s words! And do you know what he used to say to me!?”

Steve looked ill. His face had turned grey and sometime during Tony’s shouting, Steve had shrunk in on himself as if to shield himself against bullets.

A jagged feeling of raw pain unleashed itself in Tony’s heart. Tears of frustration built in his eyes and suddenly he was standing over Steve with clenched fists and a seething gaze.

“Do you know Steve? Do you?” He whispered, blinking furiously.

“No.”

“He used to say Stark men are made of iron. And you know how I felt that day? Like crap. No iron, or nothing. Just crap. Because that’s all I had from him. I never got more. Thanks to your friend.” Each word was a carefully formed dagger that he aimed directly at Steve’s heart. It was only fair, he thought. Steve should suffer too.

For a moment, Steve said nothing. He simply sat there and listened, not even appearing to breathe under the onslaught. But finally, he lifted his head up and faced Tony with red-rimmed eyes.

“You deserved better Tony. You always do.”

“Oh great.” Tony laughed humourlessly and sank back down in his seat. “That really helps.”

“No, I mean it.” Steve insisted and at Tony’s scathing look, he sighed. “It wasn’t like that. I just didn’t want you to be hurt.”

“Wonderful. Captain America thinks he can protect me. Well, that worked out great for you didn’t it?” Tony mocked. “It’s not like you actually care about my feelings, or-“

“I _told_ you.” Steve cut him off sharply with a fierce glint in his eye. “I do care about you. More than you know.”

It was unbelievable. Sometimes Tony wondered what it was that Steve saw the world through. His giddy optimism, matched only by the same mule-headed stubborness that drove him to sink himself into the ice for years. Tony often joked to himself that Steve was more stubborn than he was.

No one was laughing now.

“Whatever. Maybe we shouldn’t talk. Actually-“ Tony nodded and leaned his head back to look at the ceiling. “Lets do that.”

Tony could see Steve visibly tense from the corner of his eye. There was almost a nervous energy to him, if Tony paid close enough attention. As it was, the ceiling was actually pretty interesting. Was that magenta colouring, or cream?

“Tony, no, c’mon. Don’t do this to me-“

_No, not magenta. White. Probably white._

“Tony, please, I actually want to talk, especially before this goes through.”

_Definitely white. Look at those marks._

“Tony-“

“ _You know how much I love these rooms? It’s like you did some research or something.”_

_“Well, cream colours have always been your thing. Creams and browns at home.” Steve said with a smile that grew sheepish. “I might’ve looked you up online.”_

_“Really?” Tony’s brows rose. “And you didn’t mind it? You still wanna go out with me?”_

_“Mind what?” Steve shrugged and wrapped his arms around his waist to guide him out of the kitchen and back towards the bedroom._

_“You gave me a home. That was the only impression I had of you at the start.”_

_Ducking his head down, Tony reached for Steve’s hands around his waist and held on tight. “And now?”_

_Lips pressed on the back of his neck. “And now I like creams and browns too.”_

“Hey, you okay?”

Startled, Tony shook his head and blinked. He must’ve phased out a little. Sometimes he did that now. Rhodey said it had something to do with a lack of seeing people.

Steve had moved and was now leaning over him, holding just his neck with both hands. He was only a breath away from Tony’s lips and seemed to be studying his expression very carefully.

This was closest they’d been since Siberia. It wasn’t fair.

“Don’t do this.” Tony breathed, feeling his hands start to shake. Steve’s hands simply tightened a fraction around his neck. His eyes tracked him with laser focus.

“Do what?”

“Steve.” He begged and squeezed his eyes shut until he heard a sigh and felt Steve pull back. 

The look he got, shook him. Steve was looking at him like he was about to drown. Like Tony was letting him.

The air left his lungs and he gripped the seat of his chair tightly to keep from jumping up. It was hard enough, he couldn’t keep his heart still around Steve, but this-

“Don’t. Don’t look at me like that.”

“How can I not?” Steve said softly with pure agony in his eyes and sounding like he was almost in pain, and Tony shook his head because he couldn’t listen to this, he _couldn’t_ -

“You’re my everything Tony. You’re all I have. And you have to know that I don’t want this.”

“It’s not like I wanted it either.” Tony breathed and for once, he was almost quiet as he looked down. “It hurts me too, you know. Like tearing a limb.”

There was something broken when he looked up at Steve. Steve’s eyes were full of sorrow, and a shadow clouded his features. 

“Then why?” Steve whispered, sounding heartbroken. “Why did you send them? You never even spoke to me. Not once.”

“You didn’t speak to me.” Tony muttered back. “I just did what you asked.”

“I never asked for this.”

“You didn’t have to. The delivery did it for you.”

There was a pause. Steve’s lips twisted downwards and his shoulders slumped in defeat. But Tony wondered if anyone could ever feel like a winner around that.

“‘Sides...” Tony shrugged tiredly and felt his head start to pound in rebellion. “Wasn’t like I sent it.” Just to get the last word out. Old habits died hard.

There was a moment of silence again. Only this time, when Tony eyed Steve, he noticed a frown appear on his face. The blue eyes dashed in thought.

“Steve?” He frowned, sitting up but Steve just lifted a hand up slowly.

Tony knew he couldn’t do much else then. Steve was clearly calculating something-he knew that face anywhere. At times like that, Tony knew it was best not to disturb him. Steve wasn’t one for small talk at times like this.

_Or divorces._

Finally Steve spoke, even though his eyes didn’t see him. “What exactly do you mean by that?”

Something about the way Steve spoke made Tony’s body tense. That was Steve’s fighting stance. Were they gonna have a fight?

“Who sent those papers?” Steve asked quietly.

“Well, it wasn’t Captain Crunch if that’s what you’re thinking.” Tony snapped with a scowl. Two could play at that game.

“Tony-“

“Well, when they came through, I thought it was perfectly clear-“

“Wait.” Steve said, and held up his hand higher. He wasn’t looking at Tony, still far too busy frowning at some unseen force on the ground. Then he lowered his hand and clenched it into a fist.

“What exactly do you mean by, _when they came through?”_

Thoroughly confused now, Tony frowned uneasily. “What do you mean?”

Steve’s nostrils flared. “You sent them to me first. I didn’t start this.” He stated firmly, finally lifting his eyes up to meet Tony’s. They were dark and stormy and looked ready to wage war.

Then the words registered and rage flooded Tony’s body.

“What are you talking about? You’re the one that sent _me_ the papers in the first place!”

Steve’s eyes widened and suddenly his face went completely ashen. 

“I never sent you a thing.” Steve said with a dangerously quiet voice. His face was totally blank. “Not a goddamn thing.”

It took a minute to digest. It couldn’t be right, Tony was sure. He’d seen the papers, he’d woken up that day and been given them first thing, and they’d needed his signature for the post because it was first class.

Had there been a return address?

“Not possible.” Tony said, shaking his head desperately. “That’s not possible, Steve-“

“I sent nothing.” Steve sounded like he’d just watched someone _die_. “I never sent a thing.”

It wasn’t a joke. Steve wasn’t joking, he was telling _the truth-_

Tony’s mouth opened and closed. Numb with shock, he lifted his hand up and covered his mouth in horror.

“S-so...you didn’t-“

“I sent nothing to you.” Steve repeated blankly, and this time it came out monotone. Tony distantly registered Steve sounding like he was in shock, but he was too wrapped up in his own mountain of problems to deal with it.

“So you didn’t want this!?” Tony gasped out in horror and felt like something was choking him. And suddenly Steve snapped out of his haze too. And he was livid.

“Did I want-OF COURSE I DIDN’T WANT THIS! I NEVER FUCKING WANTED THIS!” Steve roared and Tony all but collapsed back into his seat in shock. He couldn’t breathe and he had to cup his mouth with both hands to keep the gasps down. He was hyperventilating-he was gonna be sick-

“How did this happen!? FUCK! How did this even HAPPEN!?” Steve screamed and picked up the chair on his side and slammed it into the wall with a cry. Tony’s ears were ringing.

_No...he’s right, how did this even...oh god..._

“I can’t-I can’t believe-fuck...” Steve panted and finally, let go of the piece of bent plastic in his hands. It fell to the floor with a heavy clatter but was instantly forgotten when Steve turned on his heel and jabbed a finger in Tony’s direction.

“Tony, you need to answer me, and I need an honest answer-the most honest goddamn answer you can give me.” Steve demanded with a voice that shook. His eyes were blazing with anger. “Do you want this?”

_Do I want this. Do I want this?_

“I never wanted this.” Tony whispered behind his hands and felt tears fall down his cheeks.

Steve’s whole body shook. Slowly he lowered his hand and fixed his deadly gaze on Tony.

“So you’re telling me,” Steve began, seeming to get heated all over again. “That I nearly lost you over...over what-“

“Set-up.” Tony croaked, still struggling to breath over the vice around his neck. “Had to be.”

“I nearly lost you over a set-up. When we could’ve had another chance.” Steve says coldly, and there’s an icy jaded sharpness to his voice that Tony’s never heard before. 

But not once did Tony feel threatened. This anger wasn’t because of him: it was for both of them.

Tony was yanked out of his thoughts when Steve blew out a breath and spoke. “Are you seeing anyone?”

Not trusting himself to speak, Tony shook his head silently, not taking his eyes off Steve.

“No one?”

“No.”

“Then I’m taking you out. And you’re gonna say yes. Do you understand?”

_Oh my god. Steve wants to fight for this. He’s not gonna let this go, I can already tell and-Oh, he’s already charging towards me-_

“Tony.” Steve said quietly, staring at him with eyes that trapped him where he sat. Steve was somehow in front of him now and had slowly gotten to his knees in front of Tony. 

To Tony’s rapidly growing shock, he reached out and took his hand in both of his.

“Tony. I’m not ready to let you go. Frankly I’m _shocked_ this even happened and I promise I’m going to murder every single bastard that thought they could take our marriage and corrupt it. I’m not ready to sign those papers.” He said desperately, and tightened his hold on Tony’s hand.

“Are you?” Steve said, almost begging, with his stance for Tony to reconsider. 

“I-“

A knock on the door pulled them out of their moment. Tony’s lawyer opened it and nodded at the pair, though his eyes lingered on their joint hands.

“It’s time, Mr. Stark. Please come with-“

“GET OUT!” Steve screamed and Tony had never seen a fully grown man scramble so quickly in his life. The door swung shut behind him, granting them silence again.

Sucking in a deep breath, Steve turned back to Tony and waited.

“I’m not...I don’t want to...I want to discuss this. Just you and me. Before we even consider d-divorce.” Tony said quietly and something flashed in Steve’s eyes.

He stood to full height over Tony, not once taking his eyes off him.

“I can’t believe this went so far.” Steve said quietly, sounding like he’d been wounded. Tony could relate.

“Yeah.” Tony sniffed, wiping his tears with the back of his hand. “I figured you were done with me. So I agreed to go through with it. I never thought you didn’t want it either.”

Steve just stared at Tony. Then, without breaking eye contact, he bent down and pressed a kiss to Tony’s cheek. Despite the amount of anger coming off from Steve, Tony has never felt him be so tender. His lips brushed his skin and then he pulled Tony into a firm hug. In his ear, he spoke.

“I don’t want to leave this. I love you. That hasn’t changed no matter what’s happened between us. You’re the best part of my life.” Steve murmured into his ear, squeezing him tighter. “You’re my other half Tony. Don’t leave me.”

Tony’s eyes watered all over again. “Okay.” He croaked, feeling Steve hold him even tighter. “Okay.”

“I’m so sorry. I don’t want to hurt you, I never did.”

“I’m sorry too. But you hurt me Steve. You let me down.”

“I know. I’m so sorry. I always planned to come back and talk it out. I was just so afraid and when I got those papers, I was terrified.” Steve said, burrowing his head into Tony’s shoulder and somehow, Tony realised he was crying too.

“I’m sorry. I should’ve tried harder, I guess.” Tony choked, barely managing to contain his sobs. He lifted his arms and latched onto Steve too. He felt he’d break if he let go now.

Steve was firmly shaking his head and gasping into his shoulder.

“You did more than enough. You gave me a home, remember? You gave me a home Tony and I love you.” Steve said, just as shakily, and Tony wondered if they’d stumbled on a live wire.

They stayed like that for a while, curled around each other for comfort. Like they were holding each other through a storm of their own making. Staying close, not able to let go for fear of losing each other forever.

Some time passed before Tony finally shifted. That seemed to pull Steve out of his trance too and slowly they both lifted their heads to face each other. Tony looked at the puffy, red rimmed eyes of his husband and watched as he swallowed and inspected Tony.

After a moment of quiet, Steve laughed a little and shook his head tiredly. “I can’t believe it but...this is actually the best thing that could’ve happened.”

Stunned, Tony felt his lips curve up too. “Yeah. It’s such bullshit but you’re right.”

Despite the pain and anguish and rage in Steve’s eyes, they glimmered with hope as they looked at Tony.

“I meant what I said. I’m taking you out.”

“Right. I’d...Okay.” Tony replied quietly and suddenly let a laugh escape, feeling astounded at the whole situation. He’d been ready to leave Steve. Or not ready but accepting. Resigned to his fate.

Little had he realised Steve truly _had_ felt the same. Maybe divorce hadn’t even come to Steve’s mind.

“I kept it you know.” Steve whispered quietly, reaching into his back pocket and Tony frowned at the words.

“What?”

“I remember giving this to you.” Steve continued, looking as if the weight of the world had fallen off his shoulders. It was a startling realisation to see how relieved Steve was now. 

_This nearly destroyed him too._

Tony watched Steve pull out his dog tags. Surprisingly, they weren’t around his neck but as Tony inched closer to see the dangling chain, he instantly realised why.

“Will you wear it for me?” Steve asked quietly, seeking something from him. Tony, for his part just nodded and tried not to lose control again. It was almost impossible, with how pent up his feelings had been.

Slowly, Steve shifted closer and Tony inclined his head to allow Steve to do it. The chain slipped around him and settled like a warm weight over his neck.

The view of their wedding rings next to Steve’s tags appeared before him. The tears began to well up once again.

“Thanks.” He said shakily, bringing up his hand to stroke over their rings. “I can’t believe you kept them.”

“Of course.” Steve said quietly, but in a tone that was clearly non-negotiable. 

_But why both?_ Tony wondered, feeling the metal warm under his fingers. It was just as smooth as before and still made him calmer. It was a nervous habit he’d absorbed, anytime Steve would go on missions without him, or there would be something major happening. This was huge in comparison.

“When you’re ready, well...you give that to me. I’ll earn it back so that you want to give it to me. If that’s what you want.” Steve murmured quietly, eyeing Tony’s hands with a gaze like a hawks.

_But I already want to._

Tony didn’t though. He swallowed and latched onto the chain like a lifeline. Rhodey and everyone else who cared about him would tell him to wait and not give this over yet. He had to look out for himself, that’s what they always told him. 

Plus he was still hurting over Siberia.

“I want to try. I’m not as angry as before but I am upset. You let me down and hid the truth. But...” He sucked in a deep breath, twisting his fingers in the chain. “I was really upset about the divorce papers. I guess that was a final blow I didn’t expect. It made me seriously think you didn’t care at all.”

“I do care.” Steve insisted, suddenly desperate as he sunk to his knees again and rubbed at his forearms gently. “I tried to call you. So many times, didn’t you get them?”

“Not one.” 

Steve swore and reached for his other pocket. The burner phone identical to Tony’s came up and Steve offered it in his palm. 

“Look through. I sent messages too.” Steve said, and pushed the phone into one of Tony’s hands.

As he flipped it open and flicked through, his heart soared. There it was, hidden in the dates. 

Steve had tried to call him once a day. For some reason he hadn’t gotten any but...

“Ross.” Tony realised, lifting up his head to stare at Steve with wide eyes. “It was him.”

“How?” Steve said, though his eyes narrowed. He didn’t sound surprised at all, just grim.

“He must have tampered with my phone. He visited me a few times. Maybe, somehow, I don’t know-“

“It’s not your fault-“

“How did this even happen!?” Tony gasped, letting go of the rings and dropping his head in both hands, starting to feel a little giddy. Hysterical.

He needed to lie down.

“I don’t know.” Steve swallowed, suddenly seeming just as shaken. But still, he pulled Tony close against him and sighed.

“Whatever it is, we’ll figure it out. This is our chance. Let’s take it.”

”Right. Our chance.”

“ _So is that a yes?”_

_”Yes. Definitely yes!”_

_”Good.” Steve beamed and lifted him up with both hands. Tony curled his arms around his neck and smiled, feeling the happiest he’d ever been._

_”Because I can’t wait to sign the papers! Let’s get married.”_

**Author's Note:**

> And that’s it! Thank you so much to the wonderful mods for this event and thank you to everyone who’s reading these fics-This was my last fic for the games this year! 
> 
> I can’t thank you enough-it really is encouraging.
> 
> Please do let me know what you think of this, and check out the other stevetony game fills! There are real gems out there!
> 
> Thank you so much! More for my other fics coming soon-Specifically my WIPs ;)
> 
> You are all wonderful, thank you!!


End file.
